Viacom18 Media's consumer products business is expanding portfolio of merchandise items by launching new categories and out-licensing strong brands from its popular TV channels MTV, Colors, VH1 and Nickelodeon.
The firm today announced a range of shoes inspired by MTV's reality show 'Roadies', in partnership with footwear retail firm Mochi.
"Going forward, we will be embarking on unconventional merchandise categories such as innerwear for adults. In the next 12-18 months we will be rolling out a host of 'Roadies' merchandise items," Viacom18 Media Vice-President Consumer Products Sandeep Dahiya told PTI.
As per industry estimates the three TV channels MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon currently contribute about Rs 200 crore to Viacom18 Media's total annual turnover, while around Rs 800 crore comes from Colors.
"Colors is the largest revenue generator among all the channels," he said without sharing financials.
In the next 2-3 years, the consumer products division is likely to contribute about 15% to the total turnover of MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon, he said.
The newly launched Roadies footwear will be sold at 58 Mochi outlets across 35 cities in the country, Mochi Brand Manager Alisha Malik said.
Dahiya said in the next six months the company will roll put apparel under 'South Park' brand from the bouquet of Vh1, an international music and lifestyle channel.
"We also have plans to launch products under brands based on portfolio of the Colors channel," he said without giving details.
Currently for the MTV channel, the firm has partnerships with 15 licensees, including Citibank, BILT and Steelbird and Aureole Inspecs, for more than ten consumer categories like eye-wear, debit cards and mobile phones.
In case of Nickelodeon, Viacom18 Media has tie-ups with 50 licensees for a range of consumer products under the brand name of cartoon characters such as Dora and SpongeBob.
